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Water Clock

Western Han dynasty (206 BCE–9 CE)

Not on view

This water clock originally had a gauge incised with lines marking divisions of time. Probably made of wood or bamboo, the gauge was inserted into the hole in the cover and floated on the water. As the water drained at a constant rate through the tube at the bottom, the gauge sank steadily, allowing the time to be read at each mark. Water clocks were kept in every office throughout the empire. Beginning in Qin times, officials were required to note the date and time of all incoming and outgoing correspondence and to record this information on the documents themselves.

Water Clock, Bronze, China — Due to rights restrictions, this image cannot be enlarged, viewed at full screen, or downloaded.

西汉铜漏壶

Title: Water Clock

Period: Western Han dynasty (206 BCE–9 CE)

Culture: China

Medium: Bronze

Dimensions: Overall H. 20 5/8 in. (52.4 cm); Diam. 8 1/4 in. (20.9 cm)

Classification: Metalwork

Credit Line: Lent by Shaanxi Provincial Institute of Archaeology

Accession Number: SL.1.2017.24.11

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Asian Art at The Met

The Met's collection of Asian art—more than 35,000 objects, ranging in date from the third millennium B.C. to the twenty-first century—is one of the largest and most comprehensive in the world.